diff --git a/t/t1400-update-ref.sh b/t/t1400-update-ref.sh
index 9d21c1927e..97406fa4b1 100755
--- a/t/t1400-update-ref.sh
+++ b/t/t1400-update-ref.sh
@@ -174,12 +174,11 @@ test_expect_success "(not) changed .git/$m" "
 '
 rm -f .git/$m
 
-: a repository with working tree always has reflog these days...
-: >.git/logs/refs/heads/master
+rm -f .git/logs/refs/heads/master
 test_expect_success \
 	"create $m (logged by touch)" \
 	'GIT_COMMITTER_DATE="2005-05-26 23:30" \
-	 git update-ref HEAD '"$A"' -m "Initial Creation" &&
+	 git update-ref --create-reflog HEAD '"$A"' -m "Initial Creation" &&
 	 test '"$A"' = $(cat .git/'"$m"')'
 test_expect_success \
 	"update $m (logged by touch)" \
diff --git a/t/t1410-reflog.sh b/t/t1410-reflog.sh
index 779d4e3829..b79049f6f6 100755
--- a/t/t1410-reflog.sh
+++ b/t/t1410-reflog.sh
@@ -100,7 +100,8 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 
 	check_fsck &&
 
-	test_line_count = 4 .git/logs/refs/heads/master
+	git reflog refs/heads/master >output &&
+	test_line_count = 4 output
 '
 
 test_expect_success rewind '
@@ -116,7 +117,8 @@ test_expect_success rewind '
 
 	check_have A B C D E F G H I J K L &&
 
-	test_line_count = 5 .git/logs/refs/heads/master
+	git reflog refs/heads/master >output &&
+	test_line_count = 5 output
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'corrupt and check' '
@@ -134,7 +136,8 @@ test_expect_success 'reflog expire --dry-run should not touch reflog' '
 		--stale-fix \
 		--all &&
 
-	test_line_count = 5 .git/logs/refs/heads/master &&
+	git reflog refs/heads/master >output &&
+	test_line_count = 5 output &&
 
 	check_fsck "missing blob $F"
 '
@@ -147,7 +150,8 @@ test_expect_success 'reflog expire' '
 		--stale-fix \
 		--all &&
 
-	test_line_count = 2 .git/logs/refs/heads/master &&
+	git reflog refs/heads/master >output &&
+	test_line_count = 2 output &&
 
 	check_fsck "dangling commit $K"
 '
@@ -213,7 +217,8 @@ test_expect_success 'delete' '
 test_expect_success 'rewind2' '
 
 	test_tick && git reset --hard HEAD~2 &&
-	test_line_count = 4 .git/logs/refs/heads/master
+	git reflog refs/heads/master >output &&
+	test_line_count = 4 output
 '
 
 test_expect_success '--expire=never' '
@@ -222,7 +227,8 @@ test_expect_success '--expire=never' '
 		--expire=never \
 		--expire-unreachable=never \
 		--all &&
-	test_line_count = 4 .git/logs/refs/heads/master
+	git reflog refs/heads/master >output &&
+	test_line_count = 4 output
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'gc.reflogexpire=never' '
@@ -230,7 +236,8 @@ test_expect_success 'gc.reflogexpire=never' '
 	git config gc.reflogexpire never &&
 	git config gc.reflogexpireunreachable never &&
 	git reflog expire --verbose --all &&
-	test_line_count = 4 .git/logs/refs/heads/master
+	git reflog refs/heads/master >output &&
+	test_line_count = 4 output
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'gc.reflogexpire=false' '
@@ -238,7 +245,8 @@ test_expect_success 'gc.reflogexpire=false' '
 	git config gc.reflogexpire false &&
 	git config gc.reflogexpireunreachable false &&
 	git reflog expire --verbose --all &&
-	test_line_count = 4 .git/logs/refs/heads/master &&
+	git reflog refs/heads/master >output &&
+	test_line_count = 4 output &&
 
 	git config --unset gc.reflogexpire &&
 	git config --unset gc.reflogexpireunreachable
diff --git a/t/t1411-reflog-show.sh b/t/t1411-reflog-show.sh
index 3eb4f102e5..6ac7734d79 100755
--- a/t/t1411-reflog-show.sh
+++ b/t/t1411-reflog-show.sh
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ test_expect_success '--date magic does not override explicit @{0} syntax' '
 : >expect
 test_expect_success 'empty reflog file' '
 	git branch empty &&
-	: >.git/logs/refs/heads/empty &&
+	git reflog expire --expire=all refs/heads/empty &&
 
 	git log -g empty >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
diff --git a/t/t1503-rev-parse-verify.sh b/t/t1503-rev-parse-verify.sh
index 823fe1d799..ab27d0db5c 100755
--- a/t/t1503-rev-parse-verify.sh
+++ b/t/t1503-rev-parse-verify.sh
@@ -85,8 +85,7 @@ test_expect_success 'fails silently when using -q' '
 
 test_expect_success 'fails silently when using -q with deleted reflogs' '
 	ref=$(git rev-parse HEAD) &&
-	: >.git/logs/refs/test &&
-	git update-ref -m "message for refs/test" refs/test "$ref" &&
+	git update-ref --create-reflog -m "message for refs/test" refs/test "$ref" &&
 	git reflog delete --updateref --rewrite refs/test@{0} &&
 	test_must_fail git rev-parse -q --verify refs/test@{0} >error 2>&1 &&
 	test_must_be_empty error
@@ -94,16 +93,14 @@ test_expect_success 'fails silently when using -q with deleted reflogs' '
 
 test_expect_success 'fails silently when using -q with not enough reflogs' '
 	ref=$(git rev-parse HEAD) &&
-	: >.git/logs/refs/test2 &&
-	git update-ref -m "message for refs/test2" refs/test2 "$ref" &&
+	git update-ref --create-reflog -m "message for refs/test2" refs/test2 "$ref" &&
 	test_must_fail git rev-parse -q --verify refs/test2@{999} >error 2>&1 &&
 	test_must_be_empty error
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'succeeds silently with -q and reflogs that do not go far back enough in time' '
 	ref=$(git rev-parse HEAD) &&
-	: >.git/logs/refs/test3 &&
-	git update-ref -m "message for refs/test3" refs/test3 "$ref" &&
+	git update-ref --create-reflog -m "message for refs/test3" refs/test3 "$ref" &&
 	git rev-parse -q --verify refs/test3@{1.year.ago} >actual 2>error &&
 	test_must_be_empty error &&
 	echo "$ref" >expect &&
diff --git a/t/t3200-branch.sh b/t/t3200-branch.sh
index ddea49808d..cdaf6f64ec 100755
--- a/t/t3200-branch.sh
+++ b/t/t3200-branch.sh
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ test_expect_success 'git branch -l d/e/f should create a branch and a log' '
 test_expect_success 'git branch -d d/e/f should delete a branch and a log' '
 	git branch -d d/e/f &&
 	test_path_is_missing .git/refs/heads/d/e/f &&
-	test_path_is_missing .git/logs/refs/heads/d/e/f
+	test_must_fail git reflog exists refs/heads/d/e/f
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'git branch j/k should work after branch j has been deleted' '
@@ -82,13 +82,13 @@ test_expect_success 'git branch -m dumps usage' '
 test_expect_success 'git branch -m m m/m should work' '
 	git branch -l m &&
 	git branch -m m m/m &&
-	test_path_is_file .git/logs/refs/heads/m/m
+	git reflog exists refs/heads/m/m
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'git branch -m n/n n should work' '
 	git branch -l n/n &&
 	git branch -m n/n n &&
-	test_path_is_file .git/logs/refs/heads/n
+	git reflog exists refs/heads/n
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'git branch -m o/o o should fail when o/p exists' '
@@ -267,12 +267,12 @@ git config branch.s/s.dummy Hello
 
 test_expect_success 'git branch -m s/s s should work when s/t is deleted' '
 	git branch -l s/s &&
-	test_path_is_file .git/logs/refs/heads/s/s &&
+	git reflog exists refs/heads/s/s &&
 	git branch -l s/t &&
-	test_path_is_file .git/logs/refs/heads/s/t &&
+	git reflog exists refs/heads/s/t &&
 	git branch -d s/t &&
 	git branch -m s/s s &&
-	test_path_is_file .git/logs/refs/heads/s
+	git reflog exists refs/heads/s
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'config information was renamed, too' '
diff --git a/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh b/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
index 8aae98d482..7b5b6d452e 100755
--- a/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
+++ b/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ test_expect_success 'create packed foo/bar/baz branch' '
 	git branch foo/bar/baz &&
 	git pack-refs --all --prune &&
 	test_path_is_missing .git/refs/heads/foo/bar/baz &&
-	test_path_is_missing .git/logs/refs/heads/foo/bar/baz
+	test_must_fail git reflog exists refs/heads/foo/bar/baz
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'notice d/f conflict with existing directory' '
diff --git a/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh b/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
index 9d26064aba..d26e3f57dc 100755
--- a/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
+++ b/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
@@ -961,13 +961,13 @@ test_expect_success 'rebase -i produces readable reflog' '
 	set_fake_editor &&
 	git rebase -i --onto I F branch-reflog-test &&
 	cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
-	rebase -i (start): checkout I
-	rebase -i (pick): G
-	rebase -i (pick): H
 	rebase -i (finish): returning to refs/heads/branch-reflog-test
+	rebase -i (pick): H
+	rebase -i (pick): G
+	rebase -i (start): checkout I
 	EOF
-	tail -n 4 .git/logs/HEAD |
-	sed -e "s/.*	//" >actual &&
+	git reflog -n4 HEAD |
+	sed "s/[^:]*: //" >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
diff --git a/t/t3903-stash.sh b/t/t3903-stash.sh
index f5f18b7d21..2142c1fa92 100755
--- a/t/t3903-stash.sh
+++ b/t/t3903-stash.sh
@@ -672,7 +672,7 @@ test_expect_success 'store updates stash ref and reflog' '
 	! grep quux bazzy &&
 	git stash store -m quuxery $STASH_ID &&
 	test $(cat .git/refs/stash) = $STASH_ID &&
-	grep $STASH_ID .git/logs/refs/stash &&
+	git reflog --format=%H stash| grep $STASH_ID &&
 	git stash pop &&
 	grep quux bazzy
 '
diff --git a/t/t5312-prune-corruption.sh b/t/t5312-prune-corruption.sh
index 8e98b44083..da9d59940d 100755
--- a/t/t5312-prune-corruption.sh
+++ b/t/t5312-prune-corruption.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ delete objects that cannot be recovered.
 
 test_expect_success 'disable reflogs' '
 	git config core.logallrefupdates false &&
-	rm -rf .git/logs
+	git reflog expire --expire=all --all
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'create history reachable only from a bogus-named ref' '
diff --git a/t/t6501-freshen-objects.sh b/t/t6501-freshen-objects.sh
index 2adf825076..cf076dcd94 100755
--- a/t/t6501-freshen-objects.sh
+++ b/t/t6501-freshen-objects.sh
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ for repack in '' true; do
 
 	test_expect_success "disable reflogs ($title)" '
 		git config core.logallrefupdates false &&
-		rm -rf .git/logs
+		git reflog expire --expire=all --all
 	'
 
 	test_expect_success "setup basic history ($title)" '
diff --git a/t/t7509-commit.sh b/t/t7509-commit.sh
index 9ac794052d..db9774e345 100755
--- a/t/t7509-commit.sh
+++ b/t/t7509-commit.sh
@@ -90,22 +90,10 @@ sha1_file() {
 remove_object() {
 	rm -f $(sha1_file "$*")
 }
-no_reflog() {
-	cp .git/config .git/config.saved &&
-	echo "[core] logallrefupdates = false" >>.git/config &&
-	test_when_finished "mv -f .git/config.saved .git/config" &&
-
-	if test -e .git/logs
-	then
-		mv .git/logs . &&
-		test_when_finished "mv logs .git/"
-	fi
-}
 
 test_expect_success '--amend option with empty author' '
 	git cat-file commit Initial >tmp &&
 	sed "s/author [^<]* </author  </" tmp >empty-author &&
-	no_reflog &&
 	sha=$(git hash-object -t commit -w empty-author) &&
 	test_when_finished "remove_object $sha" &&
 	git checkout $sha &&
@@ -119,7 +107,6 @@ test_expect_success '--amend option with empty author' '
 test_expect_success '--amend option with missing author' '
 	git cat-file commit Initial >tmp &&
 	sed "s/author [^<]* </author </" tmp >malformed &&
-	no_reflog &&
 	sha=$(git hash-object -t commit -w malformed) &&
 	test_when_finished "remove_object $sha" &&
 	git checkout $sha &&